Juillard - Lot 62

Juillard ANDRÉ JUILLARD THE 7 LIVES OF THE SPARROWHAWK La Marque du Condor (T.7), Glénat 1992 Original cover for the reissue of the album. Signed. India ink and colored inks on paper 32.8 × 38 cm (12.91 × 14.96 in.) "It was a good city to live in, but not to die in. (Rabelais) At the time of the scene, the Parisian Saints-Innocents cemetery adjoined the church of the same name, in a rectangle bounded by the streets of Saint-Denis, aux Fers, de la Lingerie and de la Ferronnerie. Access is via several gates, especially the one on rue Saint-Denis. Once an open-air space, it is now surrounded by dark, damp galleries used as pedestrian walkways, paved with tombs for the wealthy, lined with funeral monuments and lined with narrow stalls. In these arcades, emaciated bones removed from graves had to be emptied into attics, where they were stored for lack of space. Outside, some of the graves may be abandoned, and it's not uncommon to stumble over a forgotten skull. Despite the stench, this is a popular spot during the day. At night, it's a different story. But it's here that Gabriel de Troïl, the famous Condor, an old man deprived of an eye and an arm, but an outstanding swordsman, has arranged to meet the Masquerouge. In a biting irony, the man who once embodied the masked vigilante is unaware that he is actually about to face his daughter, Ariane. The Mark of the Condor seals the first era of the 7 Lives of the Sparrowhawk. The original edition appeared under the "Vécu" label in 1991. The following year, Glénat included it in its "Caractère" collection. André Juillard took the opportunity to redesign the cover. A solemn, wintry composition. On the left, the Condor seems walled in by his solitude. What is he thinking about? The absurd battle he has started? The tragic death of his beloved Blanche? In the center of the picture, the Sparrowhawk bides his time.